Desk



June 942. w. M. HANSON EIIAL 2,235,159

DESK

Filed Marh 20, 1940- Walter M Hqnson W t Henry E Bennett Patented June 2,1942 7 1 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE DESK Walter M. Hanson and Henry E. Bennett, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to American Seating Company, of New Jersey Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation Application March 20, 1940, serial No. 324,924

5 Claims. o1. 45-91) A combined desktop and easel-formingportion I6 is supported on the upper edgesof the rearward side and opposite ends of the box, the forward side thereof being pivotally secured to a bail l1 whose opposite ends l8 are turned inwardly to provide in effect spaced links I8 which are projected inwardly through apertures in the opposite ends ll, H! of the box. The ends of the bail are each screw threadedand nuts IS in desk top portion is readily foldable to positions of use andnon-use; and, to provide such a structurewhich is economical in manufacture.

An-illustrative embodiment of the invention'is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein: Figure 1 is a top. plan perspective view of the desk,'the foldable desk top portion and its supporting bail which are shown in dotted linesand which are shown in full lines as folded to its position to form an easel;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the foldable desk top portion which when folded forms the easel;

screw threaded engagement with the threaded ends of the bail, secure, the bail ends on the inside of the opposite ends of the box. Washers 20, 2| are disposed on opposite sides of the box, the washer 2 I being interposed between the outside surface of the box and a ring 22 which'encircles the bail-and is seated within a groove Figure 3 is a top plan view showing in dotted lines the foldable desk top portion which when thus folded forms the easel;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view showing in dotted lines the foldable desk top portion which when thus folded forms the easel; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View showing the manner wherein the easel supporting bail ends are secured to opposite'ends of the box compartment on which the desk top portions lie. I

Referring then to the drawing wherein like parts of the structureshown are designated by the same numerals in the several views, a box for the storage of school books and the like and here shown as of stamped. and drawn sheet metal, has a. forward side l0, opposite ends H, l2, a rear side l3 and a bottom or floor M, the same being supported on a'pedestal or between a pair of spaced vertically disposed standards, not

shown.

A forward desk top portion l5 issupported on the upper edges of the forward side and opposite ends of the box and is pivoted adjacent its rearward opposite ends to the opposite ends of the box to permit an upwardly rearward tilting movement to give access to the interior of the box as is conventional in school desks of this character.

therein, all as best shown in Figure 5.

The rearward desktop portion I6 is provided with a shelf, 23, preferably of rubber to prevent inarring of the forward desk top portion i 5 when the rearward desk top portion I6 is swung to its easel-forming position shown in full lines in Figure 1.

Operation In normal use as a desk, the rearward desk top portion I6 is in its position shown in full lines in Figure 3, the shelf 23 overhanging the rearward side l3 of the box as shown in full lines in Figure 4. When it is desired to use this rearward desk top portion as an easel, the bail is swung to the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 or from its position shown in full lines in Figures 3 and 4 to its position shown in dotted lines in the same views, the rearward desk top portion l6 beingangularly adjustably disposed as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 to form the easel.

It will thus be seen that the desk herein shown and described is compact and simple yet rugged in construction, that the desk top portion which provides the easel may be readily folded to positions of use as a portion of the desk top or as an easel and that the desk is reasonably econom ical in manufacture.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the'spirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claims.

We claim: a

'1. A desk including a box-like structure having side and end walls and a flat forward top portion hingedly connected to the desk end walls of the desk, said links being of such length that the strip may be swung from a position of align-- ment with the forward top portion of the desk at the rear end thereof to a substantially erect easel-forming position medially of the desk with an edge of the strip supported medially on said forward top portion.

2. A desk including a box-like structure having side and end walls and a flat forward top portion hingedly connected to the desk end walls and movable from an open position to a closed position on the desk sides and vice versa, said top portion when in its closed position at least partially closing the top of the desk, and a combined rear top portion and easel-forming member comprising a flat elongated strip of material, a bale having its medial region extending along and pivoted to one elongated edge of the strip and having its ends pivotally connected to the desk end walls beneath said forward top portion whereby the strip may be swung from a position of alignment with the forward top portion of the desk at the rear end thereof to a substantially erect easel-forming position medially of the desk with an edge of the strip supported medially on said forward top portion.

3. A desk provided with a bail whose opposite ends are pivotally secured to the opposite ends of' the desk, a desk top divided into a forward portion and a rearward portion, and a ledge depending from the rearward side of the rearward desk top portion and overhanging the rearward side of the desk, the forward side of the rearward portion of the desk top being pivotally connected to the bail intermediate the ends thereof whereby the bail and its pivotally connected desk top portion may be manually swung to adjusted position relative to the forward desk top portion to form an easel with said ledge forming a shelf supported on the upper surface of said forward desk top portion.

4. A desk top including a body and forward and rearward upper portions the forward portion being mounted on the body for turning movement to and from approximately horizontal lowered position, and a bail spacedly pivoted to the body and the rear portion respectively for alternate turning movements of the rear portion rearwardly to an approximately horizontal position behind the forward portion and forwardly to a comparatively upright position on the forward portion in its horizontal position.

5. A desk top including a body and forward and rearward upper portions the forward portion being mounted on the body for turning movement to and from approximately horizontal lowered position, and a bail spacedly pivoted to the body and the rear portion respectively for alternate turning movements of the rear portion rearwardly to an approximately horizontal position behind the forward portion and forwardly to a comparatively upright position on the forward portion in its horizontal position, the rearward portion having a ledge extending forwardly in said upright position thereof and downwardly behind the body in said portions horizontal position.

WALTER M. HANSON. HENRY E. BENNETT. 

